Internet Sources

Excellent information on basic donkey husbandry can be accessed at no cost from the following downloadable PDF’s:

Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue’s Care & Feeding Guide

The Donkey Sanctuary: A Guide To Caring For Your Donkey

Also, on this page, you can access downloadable factsheets covering a range of interesting and important topics on donkey care and welfare.

The Satha Sai Sanctuary Trust for Nature – The Information page of this Irish donkey sanctuary’s website contains helpful information in the “Questions” section, as well as an excellent section on toxic and poisonous plants – indispensible information for good pasture management.

Horse-Owners-World.co.uk A-Z of Poisonous Plants The Donkey Sanctuary Poisonous Plants

Books

The following recommended books may be ordered from these booksellers:
Amazon
WXICOF Books
They are a very small company with a very large inventory of animal books and related items. They specialize in donkey and mule books and gift items. They ship anywhere!

Donkey Business 111: A Guide for Raising, Training, Managing, and Showing Donkeys
by: Christine Berry and Jo-Anne Kokas
Widely considered to be the best, most in-depth, and comprehensive book on donkey husbandry, it is unfortunately recently out of print. Copies are available on loan through ERF. Written by two experts in the field, this book is a wealth of information and highly recommended reading!

The Donkey Companion: Selecting, Training, Breeding, Enjoying & Caring for Donkeys
by: Sue Weaver
“Understanding the donkey’s distinctive traits is critical to the animal’s well-being and usefulness. This book offers a comprehensive overview of this hardy creature – the most complete, up-to-date reference of its kind. Here is everything donkey enthusiasts need to know about the animal’s history, physiology, behaviour, breed characteristics, daily care, and health needs. Offers detailed information about different breeds and types; provides tips for finding and selecting the right animal; explains donkeys’ daily care and health requirements; and guides readers through the nuances of training, riding, driving, and breeding.”

Donkeys: Miniature, Standard, & Mammoth: A Veterinary Guide for Owners & Breeders
by: Purdy, Stephen DVM
“Addressing a common misconception, this handbook explains that donkeys are not horses and that the two kinds of animals are genetically and anatomically quite different. Carefully laying out the special physiological and environmental needs of donkeys, the book educates owners, would-be owners, and breeders about how best to care for their charges while also providing clear technical information on donkey anatomy and behaviour, diseases, breeding, and general husbandry. Written with affection for donkeys and their antics, the book goes a long way toward preventing common and sometimes dire mistakes in caring for these interesting animals.”

Looking After A Donkey
by: Dorothy Morris
“Super book! Chapters include: Choosing a Donkey, Conformation, Land, Shelter, Food, Tack, Grooming, Exercise, Training, Carrying Riding & Driving, Showing, Teeth, Feet Parasites, Troubles from Ear to Tail, General Troubles, Pros and Cons of Having a Foal, The Brood Mare, The Stallion, The Stud, Preparing for a Foal, The In-Foal Mare, Birth of a Foal, The Newborn Foal, The Growing Foal, Weaning, Hand-Rearing a Foal, The Elderly Donkey, Parting. The book is full of B/W photos and illustrations. 154 pgs.”

The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquillity in a Chaotic World
by: Andy Merrifield
Very well written! Not just another travelling-with-a-donkey–book; this is a beautiful book about a man who came to know and respect his travelling companion. It is full of priceless insights about the nature and behaviour of donkeys- and much more. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!
“This literary ode to peace, presence, and fulfilment is inspired by a walk taken with a most surprising creature. Andy Merrifield set out on a journey of the soul with a friend’s donkey, to walk amid the ruins and spectacular vistas of southern France’s Haute-Auvergne.” 245 pgs.

The Mule Companion: A Guide to Understanding the Mule
by: Cynthia Attar
“This fourth edition of The Mule Companion is a comprehensive book on mules with new photos of many real people and mules doing real mule activities. The Mule Companion has been called an excellent ‘mule primer’ for those people just getting into mules. However, the book also hosts an in-depth study of why mules do what they do, their idiosyncrasies, training, and problem solving. Also, the book is rich with ‘how to’ information on: caring for, breeding for, fitting tack on, buying, and mule activities, past and present.
Cynthia Attar, previously a mule trainer-schooled by the mule itself, learned how the mule mind works. Using this information, she obtained amazing results without force, fear, or pain. With a deep love for mules, Cynthia now empowers others to understand these long-eared equines, and aims to show how great mules truly are and to show the bond that mules and their people share.”
About the Author
Cynthia Attar, The Mule Lady, is more than a mule trainer; she is able to create a working partnership with the mule through communication, respect, understanding and clarity. Cynthia gets amazing results without force, fear or pain and helps others to do the same.

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Thanks go to Diane Lindsay for compiling this great list. If you have any books or reference materials that you think should feature here, please let us know.

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All material copyright Equine Rescue France 2007-2010